Arc welding



April 4, 1944 J. F. LINCOLN ET AL ARC WELDING Filed April 21, 1942 INVENTORS JAMES F. LINCOLN and THEGPHIL EJERABEK ATTORNEYS All lof the inetal melted VPatented Apr. 4,-1-944 ARC WELDING James F. Lincoln, Cleveland, and Thcophil E.

Jerabek, East Cleveland Ohio, assignentv to `'The Lincoln Electric Company, Cleveland,

Ohio, a corporation o! Ohio Application Api-u 21', im, sex-n1 No. 439Mo (cl. 21e-1o) 3 Claims.

This invention relates as indicated to arc weld ing in the broad sense that it relates to the eiectrodeposition of metals whether employed for the express purpose of joining parts together or for applying metal to parts in the nature of a surfacing operation.

More particularly, this invention relates to an improved method of welding and an electrode Adesigned especially for use in such method, characterized by the fact that the same operates at a greater eiilciency than any of the processes of the prior art.

The eiliciency of the welding operation in vthe sense that such term is used in the description of this invention may be expressed in terms of the amount; of heat or energy required to lay down or melt a given amount of metal.

The heat generated by the welding arc may be divided into the "used component and the "wasted component.

The "used component is utilized for the pur- DOse of:

(a) Melting a portion of the Vbase metal', i, e.

a portion of the work being welded or onto which the weld metal is being deposited;

(b) Meltingthe electrode: and

(c) Melting the slag-forming constituents of the coating usually employed on the fusible weldrodfor the purpose of protecting the weld metal deposited under the arc.` l

The "wasted component is vdissipated inv a number of ways, among which the following may be mentioned:

(a) In super-heating the molten metal under the are, that is.' in heating such metal to its if boiling Point and causing be vaporiaed and lost; and

(b) By radiation through a variety 'of channels.

The foregoing will'perhaps be more readily understandable if we analyze, for a moment, the nature of the weldinz operation utilizing afusible metallic electrode. In order for an arc to' be maintained between' a fusible electrode and some ofthe same to the work it is necessary that there be lmaintained an ionized column or path between the electrode and the work, and it is generally recognised that the temperature of such path or arc stream may be conveniently expressed as being the boiling point of the metal comprising the electrode.

the electrode is, therefore, raised to this superheated condition. In other words, its temperature is raised far above that temperature` -at which the deposited metal is required to be maine tainedin order that it may coalesce with thework.

Of course, thel extremely high temperatures of the arc cannot be avoided since it is necessary that such temperatures be achieved in order to eramount of weld metal l related ends,

maintain the arc. All of the heat utilized, however, to raise the weld metalor the arctemperature above vthat temperature at whichthe weld metal will properly coalesce, is in the present practice substantially all wasted. Not only is this'excess heat itself wasted but the same causes a boiling and splattering of the weld metal leading to further dissipation of energy and a wastage of the metal itself.

It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide .a process of and a welding electrode for' use in such process, characterized by the fact that a substantial portion of the heat normally wasted in conventional welding operations may be conserved and-utilized not only for the production of a sounder weld metal deposit, but of equal, and perhaps greater im-l portance, the deposition of a substantially greatper unit of heat utilized in the arc. 'l

'Other objects of our invention will appear as the description proceeds:

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and par ticularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawing and the following description setting v forth in detail certain means and modes of caroif. from the end of' rying out the inventlonf such disclosed means and modes illustrating, however, but several of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be used.'

Insaid annexed drawing:

Fig. l is an elevationalview partially in section of a welding electrode comprising one embodiment oi' this invention and useful method of welding of this invention;

Pig. 2 is a transverse sectional view` of the electrode ofFig. 1 taken on a plane substan' tially indicated by the line 2 2; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view similar in the construction.

Broadly stated, this invention comprises the process of electrodepositing metal by maintain ing an arc between the wok and a fusible electrode, and concurrently feeding into the arc additional weld metal by means of a member arranged coaxially with the arc, but insulated from that portion of the electrodeon which the arc is maintained so that the heat normally wasted fin the arc is umizea to men down this additional component. The coaxial arrangement of the parts is such that the. heat normally wasted in the manner-.indicated above is most emciently conserved for the purpose of providing a maximum amount of weld metal with the minimum expenditure of heat energy.

Referring now more specically to the drawing and more especially to Figs. 1 and Z, the welding electrode here illustrated comprises a central fusible metallic core i, anda concentrically arranged fusible metallic sheath 2. 'The core and sheath are electricallyinsulated from each other by means of a layer 3 which may be conveniently formed of conventional weldrod covering material so as to perform the dual function of an electrical insulator and weldrod covering.

The entire electrode is provided with a cover'- ing l of conventional weldrod covering material, the primary purpose of which is the same as that for which weldrod coverings are usually may be Wound helically about the coating 3. Similarly the core i may be any form of composite structure which may be desired.

The essential feature of the weldrod is the fact that the same comprises a body having a plurality of longitudinally extending laterally adjacent components preferably arranged concentrically with respect to each other andelec trically insulated from each other so that the welding arc may be maintained on one such component, and the normally wasted heat from such arc utilized to melt down the' other component.

For certain purposes, it will be found desirable to maintain a certain proportional relationship between the cross-sectional areas of the elements l and 2 respectively.4 Usually for best results the arc will be maintained on the core member I.

When vthis is done, then the cross-sectional area of the element 2 may conveniently vary from one-half to four times the area of component l. It will be found that -best results will be secured by having the cross-sectional area of element 2 from one and one-half to two and one-half times the cross-sectional area of element I. The composition of elements I and 2 may be the same or different. Thus, for example, a mild steel. core I maybe utilized in combination with an alloy element 2 and vice versa. A The ux layers comprising components 3 and 4v of the weldrod body may be the' same or different compositions, and may be applied by any of the known methods. The precise composition Il to Fig. 2 but showing -an alternative form of v Component 1- Mild steel wire inch in diameter-- Component 2 l Mild steel wire inch thick-- .070 Component 3- Conventional weldrod covering do- .029

Component 4 I Conventional weldrod covering do .070

Cross-sectional area ofcomponent 2 is 1.58 times the cross-sectional area of component` l. Utilizing a Welding current of 450 amperes with this electrode, weld metal was deposited at the rate While the arc will generally be maintained on e component i, it maybe desirable, for certain purposes, to maintain th arc on component 2. This is generally less desirable, however, because it is usually best to utilize a conf-ined arc and one whose position on'the end of the electrode maybe accurately controlled. If'the arc is maintained on the end of component 2, it will have a tendencyvto wander over the area of suchV component so that it is more diicult to control than when it is maintained on the end of the core.

Whichever metallic component of the weldrod is selected for purposes of maintaining the arc,

some provision must be made for .baring that component at the remote end of the weldrod so that an electrical connection may be established between it and the welding circuit. This is usually best accomplished by having that -particular component projected axially from the remaining body of the weldrod, and by then clamping a suitable lead thereto.

While best'results will generally be secured by utilizing a composite' electrode structure of the character described in which the two fusible metallic components are arranged lcoaxially, and with the arc maintained on the end of the centrol component, nevertheless, for certain types of work, desirable results can be 'secured by utilizing. a composite structure in which the two components are laterally contiguous although not concentric. Such a structure may be produced. for example, by utilizing two half--round rods placed with their flat faces toward each other, with a layer of electrically insulating material, such as weldrod covering material, therebetween, and then maintaining the arcfrom the end of only one of such components. When this is done, it will be desirable to operate the weldrod in such a way that a line drawn between the centers of the metallic components and the end of the weldrod is substantially parallel to the line along which the weldrod is to be moved.

With this arrangement, the arc may be maintained at either the forward or rear component. When such an arrangement is employed, it will be desirable to utilize an electro-magnet arranged coaxially with respect to the electrode, and en ergized so as to provide a directional effect on the blow of the arc, so that the arc maintained on the one component is blown toward the laterally contiguous fusible metallic component insulated therefrom.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that we have provided a method of welding and an electrode for use in commotion, therewith which makes possible theconservation and the emcient use of a substantial amount of the heat which is normally wasted in conventional arcv welding operations. i

Other modes of applying the principle of our invention may be dnployed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the means and the steps herein disclosed, provided; those stated by any of the following claims or their equivalent be employed.

We, therefore, particularly point out and distinctly claim as our invention:

1. In the process of metal working by electricity, the steps of providingl an electrode, the body of which comprises a plurality of coaxially arranged fusible metallic components, each such tional weldrod covering, and maintaining an electric arc between the work and the inner one of said components.

' 2. In the process of metal working by electric ity, the steps of providing an electrode, the body of which comprises a solid fusible metallic core.

an electrically insulating substantially conventional weldrod coating on said core, a metallic 3. In the process of metal working by electricity, the steps of providing an electrode, the body of which comprises a solid fusible metallic core, an electrically insulating substantially convencomponent provided with a sheath of conven. i

tional weldrod coating on said core, a metallic sheath of substantial thickness around said coating and electrically insulated from said core and a weldrod coating on said sheath; and maintaining an electric arc between the work and the core of said electrode;

- JAMES F. LINCOLN.

THEOPHIL E. JERABEK. 

